Page 38 of Dark Visions

“Only one way to find out,” said Aislinn, picking up the phone. Ten minutes later, they left Kane’s apartment and headed toward the university.

“This should be fun,” said Flip under his breath, all eyes turning toward him. “A professor is going to tell us what we all already know. We’re fucked up.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Dr. Brennan felt the rain approaching deep in her bones. At sixty-one, there were days that arthritis seemed to ravage her body, leaving her barely able to move. She carried the large stack of papers down the long corridor toward her office, feeling them slide precariously from one side to the other.

“Let me help you, Dr. Brennan,” said the sweet voice of a woman behind her.

“Oh, Deborah! Thank you, dear, you’re such a love.” She gladly released the papers to the young woman as they walked toward her office. Opening the door, she stepped behind her desk and cleared a spot for the new stack that awaited her. The young woman set the papers down and smiled at the older woman.

“I was hoping to speak with you about a potential opportunity as a graduate assistant with you, Dr. Brennan. I know your last one graduated,” she said, smiling.

“Oh yes, yes, he did. I’ve been scattered, as you can see from my office, since then.” She waved her arms at the stacks of books and papers, her small arms flailing around the office. The younger woman looked around the small space and smiled.

“Well, perhaps we could do it on a trial basis. Let me work with you for a few weeks, and if it works out, you could bring me on full-time,” she said, smiling.

“I’ll tell you what, dear, you submit your transcripts and a resume, and I’ll review it with the department chair. If all is well, we’ll get you on board as quick as possible. Lord knows I need it!”

“Thank you, Dr. Brennan! You won’t regret it!” The younger woman reached for Dr. Brennan and pulled her into a hug. Dr. Brennan froze. The feelings coming off the woman were beyond anything she’d ever experienced before. The emotion was almost crippling. Visions of blackness, pure blackness, and something else. Something more terrifying and more evil.

She released the older woman and turned with a wave to head out the door, but not before slamming into a large male body.

“Oh, excuse me,” she said, smiling up at the big man.

She pushed her blonde hair from her face as they watched her walk down the hallway. Aislinn’s face was pale, completely void of color. Kane rubbed his arm, his whole-body sizzling with nerve endings. They stepped inside the tiny, cluttered office to see Dr. Brennan staring at the doorway.

“Th-that was her, wasn’t it, child?” she said. Aislinn nodded her head, barely perceptible nod.

“What do you mean?” asked Adam.

“That was the woman in the dreams, the one with Krauss, the blonde.”

“Holy shit! Should we stop her?” said Adam.

“And say what?” said Kane. “Hey, you don’t know us, but we see your evil in our dreams. Would you mind coming with us? Don’t think that would fly, brother.”

“I felt it,” said Dr. Brennan. “I felt the evil when she hugged me. It was like I was choking on cotton. My whole head filled with images. She was thinking of it. She was thinking of killing again and running the details through her head.”

“Why was she in here?” asked Aislinn.

“She wanted to know if she could be my new graduate assistant. I told her I would review her application, but honestly, I don’t think my old body can handle being around her energy. I think it would eventually kill me.” Seemingly from nowhere, Flip handed the older woman a glass of water. “Well, thank you, dear. My, aren’t you a big one!”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, smiling at the older woman. “My name is Flip… Philip Cho. I’m friends with Kane and Aislinn and that big ugly one back there.”

“Hello, dear, and you are?”

“I’m Adam Thorn, ma’am. Dr. Adam Thorn.”

“Doctor? Oh, how lovely. Well, take a seat.”

She looked around her office and realized not only did she not have enough seats for the group, but that in a matter of no time, the air would be completely sucked out of the space by the three large men filling the room now.

“Perhaps we should go to a coffee shop?” said Adam.

“Let’s go down to the faculty cafeteria. It should be relatively quiet at this time of day.”

She led them back down the long corridor and down a flight of stairs to another corridor. The building was “L-shaped,” the second, extended hallways on both floors shorter than the first. Once inside the cafeteria, Aislinn noticed that the three men took in everything within their view. It was as if they were making tick marks on a checklist.

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